Helping To Get Out Of Bed
by InspirationFollows
Summary: Shino hasn't moved in three days, and Kiba's starting to get even more worried.


Disclaimer: _Grins evilly_ Soon, my evil plan to gain control over all of the Naruto characters and all other ideas that belong to Masashi Kishimoto will be mine! And then I will be rich, rich I tell you! My evil plan shall not fail! WHAHAHAHAHAahhhhhhhhh! _gets dragged away by ninja lawyers_

Stupid ninja lawyers.

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Shino hadn't moved for three days. And it scared Kiba. The dog trainer stood outside the Aburame's bedroom door, but he didn't push it open quite yet. He wasn't sure he really wanted to see Shino just lying on his back staring blankly at the ceiling. Maybe if Shino would just react to him, in anyway, even just looking toward him would suffice, it wouldn't be so hard on the Inuzuka. But, as it was, Shino paid no notice to Kiba at all, and each time he went to check on the Aburame, it broke his heart a little bit more.

But it also hurt to _not_ see Shino, and so, once every few hours, Kiba would pick himself up from the chair in the hallway, where he had taken up residence and plod on down the hall. He would enter the Aburame's bedroom, just as he had millions of times in the last few days. He would bring with him the flowers from friends and presents from distant relatives and fake-sympathetic strangers and place them on the table that was already starting to overflow with the unopened boxes. He would try to talk to Shino, but, just as always, the bug-trainer ignored him. And so Kiba would pretend not to care, and instead of talking, he would settle for just rearranging the blankets on Shino's bed, and then quietly slip out of the door, with just one last forlorn and unnoticed glance back at his friend. And, just like every single time he left the room, Kiba would sigh and wish that something would change so that Shino would be happy again.

But this time would be different. This time, Kiba would try harder, talk louder, just do _something_ to make Shino react. With that thought in mind, he pushed open the door.

Shino did nothing, didn't even blink when the door creaked and Kiba stepped into the room. He just lay impassively under the covers as the curtains were opened and the midday sunlight streamed into the room. Kiba strode around the room, straightening the pile of boxes, replacing the flowers, smoothing out the bed sheets, all the same things that he normally did. But this time, he did something different. His instincts told him that being close to Shino was _not _a good idea, not with all that had happened, not to mention his hormones. But Kiba was not one to follow rules and instincts. So he didn't say a word, and just sat down on the bed.

If Shino even noticed the shift in the bedsprings, he didn't show any telltale signs, but Kiba had expected that. He just ignored it, and looked Shino in the eye.

"It goes away after a while." He said. Shino's eyes moved to gaze nonchalant at him. Finally, a reaction. Kiba continued.

"Sooner or later, the pain will go away." Kiba smiled slightly. "Trust me, I know, the same thing happened to my father."

Shino still didn't say anything, but there was a slight questioning look in his eyes. Kiba took the incentive.

"When I was five, my father had a mission. He was sent out to Amegakure. It was just another mission gone bad. He was supposed to sneak into the jail and free one of the inmates there, but when he got there, the guy was already dead. He had been beaten to death. The message that Sandaime had received was forged, and they were waiting for him when he entered the cell. He…was tortured, and they sent him back barely alive. He died on the way from the hospital to our house for a final goodbye."

Shino finally opened his mouth, and his voice was slightly hoarse from not being used. "I'm sorry. I did not know…"

Kiba smiled brightly. "Don't be. Mom doesn't like to talk about it, but I have no problem. We went through some hard times for a while, but everything's good now. Mom and Hana went back to breeding dogs, and although they didn't want me to, I finally convinced them to let me go to the Academy. I'm glad they did. It's been the best time of my life. And I met all new friends."

Shino nodded, not really sure where Kiba was going with this.

The grin slipped off of Kiba's face as he sobered up. "See? Things do get better, after a while. You just have to get up and let life run its course, as long as it's not running over you."

The dog trainer reached out a hand, and smiled when Shino grasped it. He pulled the Aburame up, then stood and started to walk to the door.

"Wait, Kiba." The Inuzuka stopped, one hand on the door frame.

"Yeah, Shino?" He asked, the carefree grin still plastered on his face.

"Why did you stay here the whole time? Why didn't you just leave?"

Kiba's heart stopped for a moment. Leave it to Shino to ask the one question that he didn't want to answer. He thought for a minute before answering.

"I know what it's like, to loose your father. It hurts and who knows what you might do if you're desperate. I had to make sure you were alright. You're my best friend, and I know that you would do the same for me."

"Is that all?" To anyone else, Shino's voice would have sounded just as bland and emotionless as it always did, but Kiba knew how to pick out subtle signs of the bug trainers true feelings. If he wasn't mistaken, Shino sounded slightly disappointed.

Kiba stood still for a moment, staring at his friend, trying to puzzle out what was going on inside the Aburame's head. Shino didn't flinch.

"Does it matter?" The Inuzuka asked quietly. Shino just looked down. He didn't have to say anything, Kiba already knew the answer. Kiba walked back around and sat on the bed again.

"Yes, there is more." He admitted grudgingly. "There is a lot more." He murmured, so quietly that it was barely louder than the breath escaping from Shino's mouth. The Inuzuka sighed and closed his eyes.

It was _not_ a good idea, Kiba's conscience tried to reason. It would not work, and Shino would hate him forever. The whole friendship would be ruined, and the whole team would suffer as a result. They probably wouldn't ever talk again, and…

Oh, _screw_ it.

Kiba opened eyes, and leaned closer to Shino. The Aburame didn't notice the movement until Kiba was only a few inches away.

"Kiba…?" He questioned quietly. Kiba placed his lips over Shino's.

It wasn't like Shino to show emotion, but even so, his eyebrows still rose surprisingly high. Kiba pulled away, keeping the kiss short and chaste. Shino didn't stay anything, and his eyebrows remained raised.

Kiba's conscience was going ballistic. I _told_ you it wasn't a good idea. See? He hates you now. Oh, boy, you've done it now. Everything's going to be awkward, and nothing will ever go back to being the way it used to. Run now, dog-boy, before he whacks you.

That sounded like a very good idea at the moment, Kiba reasoned, and he stood up quickly and almost ran out the door. Almost, because Shino had reached out a hand and grabbed him before he could leave.

"Kiba? Why are you running again?" The Aburame asked, with no hint in his voice that anything had even happened.

"Why?" Kiba asked incredulously. "You want to know why? I just fu-freaking kissed you," he corrected himself, knowing that the Aburames would not take well to him cussing in their home. "Picture yourself as me. I just kissed my powerful, much stronger teammate, who is also a guy, and who happens to be my best friend. You are going to hate me forever for doing that, our friendship and our teamwork will never be the same, and you're asking me _why_ I'm running away?"

"I did not recall saying that I hated you." Shino replied, stoic as ever. There was a slight pause after that, as Kiba tried to comprehend that statement.

"You…you don't hate me?"

"I did just say that."

"But…but…" Kiba struggled to find something to say. "But you are a guy. Doesn't that creep you out?

"Should it?" Shino was starting to sound bored.

"And you're my best friend. It will ruin everything."

"Not necessarily." Shino responded.

"You aren't creeped out at all? You aren't going to murder me?"

Shino made an impatient noise. He pulled on Kiba's wrist, causing the Inuzuka to be pulled back. Kiba's eyes widened as he stumbled, landing in front of the Aburame. They widened even more when Shino gently placed his lips over Kiba's.

At first, the dog trainer was too shocked to move. Well, this is unexpected, Kiba's conscience was back again. You'd better do something before it's over.

Kiba complied without hesitation, moving to sit next to Shino on the bed, kissing back with all he had. When the two boys finally parted, Kiba was trying to calm his heartbeat and stop the grin on his face from spreading at the same time. It wasn't working.

"So…you don't hate me?" He said breathlessly. "Because, you know me, I'm a slow learner. You might have to try and persuade me one more time."

Shino rolled his eyes, seemingly trying to resist whacking the dog trainer on the back of the head.

"C'mon. It's about time you came out of your depression. Hinata and Kurenai-sensei are waiting for you." Kiba grinned even wider. "Won't they be shocked to hear how I got you to move?"

Shino stared at him. "Kiba…" he began.

"Yeah?"

"If you tell them, I will not refrain from hurting you."

Kiba leaned over and kissed Shino lightly on the forehead.

"Aw, I love you too."

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Author's Notes: This is my first KibaShino. I hope you liked it. I love this pairing, no matter how neglected this team is. Review please! Flames will be laughed at and chucked into the fire where they belong.


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